Clip

Abstract

To provide a clip which is harder to fall off than a stopper when attached to a through hole.SOLUTION: A clip 10 is attached to a stick 11 for housing a connector 30, and includes a base part side 10A positioned on the outer surface side of the stick 11, a body part side 10A connected to the base part side 10F, having an elastic deformation allowable space side 11A formed inside, and lockable to an edge part of a through-hole side 10B on the inner surface side of the stick 11, and a bridge part side 10F bridged in the elastic deformation allowable space side 10C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to clips. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a stopper for a stick (cylinder) used to pack electronic components. This stopper has an elastic protruding portion that protrudes outward from the stopper body. When the elastic protruding portion is inserted into the stick, it elastically deforms, thereby holding the stopper at the end of the stick. It is also possible to employ a configuration in which a through-hole is formed in the outer wall of the stick, and a clip is inserted into this through-hole to prevent the electronic component from slipping out of the stick. Patent Documents 2 to 4 disclose examples of stopper shapes that can be used as clips for fixing connectors, etc. to the body of a vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 4-135478 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-134520 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-212124 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-79194 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The stopper in Patent Document 1 has a concern that the stopper may fall off the stick due to the load from the electronic components stored in the stick. For this reason, it is necessary to make the stopper less likely to fall off the through-hole.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a clip that is less likely to fall off than a stopper when attached to a through hole. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The clip of the present disclosure comprises: A clip attached to a tube that houses an electrical component, a base portion located on the outer surface side of the cylinder; a main body portion connected to the base portion, having an elastic deformation allowable space formed therein, and capable of being engaged with an edge portion of the through hole on the inner surface side of the tube; a bridge portion that is bridged within the elastic deformation allowable space; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a clip can be provided that is less likely to fall off than a stopper when attached to a through hole. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a clip according to a first embodiment is attached to a stick housing a connector. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the end of the stick. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a connector housed in a stick. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a view showing the state in which the clip of the first embodiment is attached to a stick housing a connector, as viewed from the longitudinal direction of the stick. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the clip of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a view showing the clip of the first embodiment attached to a stick housing a connector, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stick. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the clip of the first embodiment is being removed from the stick. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. The clip of the present disclosure comprises: (1) This clip is attached to a tube that houses an electrical component. It includes a base located on the outer surface of the tube, a main body connected to the base, which defines an elastically deformable space inside and can be engaged with the edge of a through hole on the inner surface of the tube, and a bridge portion that spans the elastically deformable space. With this configuration, the bridge portion prevents the main body from deforming excessively, and when attached to the through hole, the main body is prevented from deforming excessively, making it less likely to fall off the through hole.

[0010] (2) The bridging portion of the clip of the present disclosure is preferably symmetrical with respect to a central axis passing through the center of the elastic deformation direction of the main body. This configuration allows the main body to deform in a balanced manner, making it easier to attach the clip to the through hole.

[0011] (3) The bridging portion of the clip of the present disclosure preferably has three arms that divide the inside of the main body into three spaces, and one of the arms is preferably arranged along the central axis. This configuration effectively prevents the main body from deforming in the direction of the central axis, making it easier to insert the clip into the through hole.

[0012] (4) The base of the clip of the present disclosure is preferably plate-shaped and has an uneven surface. This configuration makes it difficult for the fingers of an operator to slip when gripping the base.

[0013] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure]

[0014] <Embodiment 1> A clip according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 1, a clip 10 is attached to the end of a stick 11 (cylinder) that houses a connector 30, which is an electrical component. This prevents the connector 30 from slipping out of the stick 11.

[0015] [About the stick] The stick 11 is cylindrical with both ends open in the length direction (longitudinal direction L). In this embodiment, the stick 11 is made of synthetic resin. As shown in FIG. 2, the stick 11 has a rectangular cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, a first recessed portion 11B, a second recessed portion 11C, and a third recessed portion 11D are formed on the outer surface of the stick 11, recessed inward. The first recessed portion 11B, the second recessed portion 11C, and the third recessed portion 11D are formed to extend in the longitudinal direction L of the stick 11 (see FIG. 1). The first recessed portion 11B, the second recessed portion 11C, and the third recessed portion 11D are formed on each of three of the four outer surface portions constituting the stick 11, excluding the bottom surface shown in FIG. 2.

[0016] The first recessed portion 11B and the third recessed portion 11D are formed on opposite outer surface portions of the four outer surface portions constituting the stick 11. The second recessed portion 11C is formed on an outer surface portion that is continuous with the outer surface portion on which the first recessed portion 11B is formed and the outer surface portion on which the third recessed portion 11D is formed. A through-hole 11A is formed at the bottom of the second recessed portion 11C, penetrating through the plate thickness direction. The outer shape of the through-hole 11A is rectangular. The dimension of the through-hole 11A in the longitudinal direction L of the stick 11 is W. Two protrusions 11F protruding inward are provided on the inner surface of the outer surface portion opposite the outer surface portion on which the second recessed portion 11C is formed. These protrusions 11F extend in the longitudinal direction L of the stick 11.

[0017] [About the connector] As shown in FIG. 3, the connector 30 housed in the stick 11 is a circuit board connector and is configured by assembling a housing 12 and a plurality of terminal fittings 22. The housing 12 is made of synthetic resin. The housing 12 has a hood portion 14, a flange portion 15, and a pair of side walls 16. The hood portion 14 protrudes in a rectangular cylindrical shape from one plate surface of the flat terminal holding portion 13. The flange portion 15 protrudes outward from the outer peripheral edge of the terminal holding portion 13 in a brim-like shape.

[0018] The pair of side wall portions 16 protrude in the opposite direction from the hood portion 14, with the plate thickness direction oriented perpendicular to the terminal holding portion 13. The pair of side wall portions 16 are parallel to each other and are connected to two of the four sides that form the outer edge of the terminal holding portion 13, which are spaced apart from each other.

[0019] Each terminal fitting 22 is formed by bending a thin, elongated metal material into an L-shape. The terminal fitting 22 has a terminal connection portion 23 that penetrates the terminal holding portion 13 in the plate thickness direction and connects to a mating terminal fitting (not shown), and a board connection portion 24 that is bent at a right angle from the end of the terminal connection portion 23 located between the pair of side wall portions 16. Each board connection portion 24 is located between the pair of side wall portions 16 and is protected by each side wall portion 16. The tip of the board connection portion 24 is inserted into a through-hole in a circuit board (not shown). The terminal fitting 22 is held by the terminal holding portion 13 with the terminal connection portion 23 penetrating the terminal holding portion 13 in the plate thickness direction. When multiple terminal fittings 22 are attached to the housing 12, the terminal connection portions 23 are aligned parallel to each other, and the board connection portions 24 are aligned parallel to each other. The end of terminal connection portion 23 opposite to the end connected to board connection portion 24 protrudes into and is surrounded by hood portion 14. Terminal connection portion 23 is connected to a mating terminal fitting (not shown) attached to a mating connector (not shown) that is fitted into hood portion 14.

[0020] [About the orientation of the connector housed inside the stick] The stick 11 accommodates a plurality of connectors 30 arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction L of the stick 11 (see FIG. 1). The orientation of the connector 30 within the stick 11 is such that the pair of side wall portions 16 are aligned in the longitudinal direction L of the stick 11 (see FIG. 1).

[0021] As shown in Fig. 4, the edge of the side wall 16 on the side away from the terminal holding portion 13 faces the inner surface of the second recessed portion 11C. The outer edge of the flange 15 on the side from which the board connecting portion 24 extends faces the inner surface of the first recessed portion 11B. The outer edge of the side wall 16 located on the opposite side from the side from which the board connecting portion 24 extends faces the inner surface of the third recessed portion 11D. The edge of the hood portion 14 on the side away from the terminal holding portion 13 faces so that the two protrusions 11F come into contact.

[0022] [About the clip] The clip 10 is made of a flexible synthetic resin such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride). As shown in Fig. 5, the clip 10 has a base 10A, a main body 10B, and a bridge portion 10C. The base 10A is plate-shaped and extends in one direction. Here, the direction E in which the base 10A extends is the left-right direction in Fig. 5, and will hereinafter also be referred to as the width direction E.

[0023] The base 10A has an uneven portion 10H on its plate surface. The uneven portion 10H has first protrusions 10J, first recesses 10K, second protrusions 10L, and second recesses 10M. The first protrusions 10J and first recesses 10K are arranged alternately in the width direction E on one plate surface of the base 10A. When the base 10A is viewed in a direction along the plate surface and perpendicular to the width direction E, the first recesses 10K are formed to be recessed in a semicircular shape. Each first protrusion 10J is a part of one plate surface of the base 10A. The first protrusions 10J are portions that protrude relative to the first recesses 10K, and the tip surfaces in the protruding direction are formed flat along the width direction E.

[0024] The second protrusions 10L and the second recesses 10M are arranged alternately in the width direction E on the other plate surface of the base 10A. When the base 10A is viewed in a direction along the plate surface and perpendicular to the width direction E, the second protrusions 10L are formed to protrude in a semicircular shape. Each second recess 10M is a part of the other plate surface of the base 10A. The second recesses 10M are recessed portions relative to the second protrusions 10L, and the inner ends in the recessed direction are formed flat along the width direction E. The other plate surface of the base 10A is inclined so as to approach the plate surface on one side as it approaches both ends in the width direction E. In other words, the base 10A is tapered, becoming thinner as it approaches both ends in the width direction E.

[0025] The main body 10B is provided so as to protrude downward from the center of the other plate surface of the base 10A in the width direction E. An elastic deformation allowable space 10F is formed inside the main body 10B (the shaded area in FIG. 5). The elastic deformation allowable space 10F is formed along the plate surface of the base 10A and penetrates the main body 10B in a direction perpendicular to the width direction E (the thickness direction of the main body 10B). The elastic deformation allowable space 10F is formed so as to be surrounded by the main body 10B and the base 10A. In other words, the elastic deformation allowable space 10F is a space surrounded by the base 10A, which extends linearly in the width direction E, and the main body 10B, which has a U-shape such that both ends are connected to the base 10A. The elastic deformation allowable space 10F has a space that is narrowed in the width direction E by the elastic deformation of the main body 10B. The main body 10B can be elastically deformed in a direction that reduces the opening width of the elastic deformation allowance space 10F.

[0026] A pair of recesses 10N are formed at the connecting portion between the main body 10B and the base 10A, recessed toward the center in the width direction E (central axis C, described later). The dimension between these recesses 10N in the width direction E is W1. The maximum dimension of the main body 10B in the width direction E is W2. The main body 10B is elastically deformable when an external force is applied. When the main body 10B is not elastically deformed, the dimension W2 is larger than the dimension W1. The dimension W1 is slightly larger than the dimension W of the through-hole 11A in the longitudinal direction L of the stick 11 (see FIG. 6). The dimension W2 is larger than the dimension W (see FIG. 6). When the main body 10B elastically deforms so as to approach the center in the width direction E, the dimension W2 approaches the dimension W1.

[0027] The bridge portion 10C is provided so as to span the elastic deformation-allowing space 10F. When viewed from the width direction E, the bridge portion 10C is disposed within the elastic deformation-allowing space 10F (see FIG. 4). In other words, the bridge portion 10C is configured so as not to protrude from the elastic deformation-allowing space 10F to the outside (including in the thickness direction of the main body portion 10B). The bridge portion 10C has three arms 10G. In the bridge portion 10C, one end of each of the three arms 10G is connected within the elastic deformation-allowing space 10F and extends radially from the connected portion to form a Y shape. One of the three arms 10G extends in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the base portion 10A, and the other end is connected to an end of the main body portion 10B away from the base portion 10A. One of the three arms 10G is disposed along a central axis C passing through the center of the elastic deformation direction of the main body portion 10B. The other ends of the other two arms 10G are connected to the respective portions where the main body 10B and the base 10A are connected. The bridge portion 10C is symmetrical with respect to the central axis C. Thus, the bridge portion 10C is arranged so as to divide the elastic deformation allowable space 10F formed inside the main body 10B into three spaces.

[0028] An example of attaching the clip 10 to the stick 11 will be described. First, the connector 30 is accommodated in the stick 11. Next, the main body 10B is inserted into the through-hole 11A. In this case, the width direction E is aligned with the longitudinal direction L of the stick 11. Then, the tip of the main body 10B is placed against the through-hole 11A so as to block the through-hole 11A from the outside, and the base 10A is pressed toward the second recess 11C. This causes the main body 10B to elastically deform toward the center in the width direction E. At the same time, the two arms 10G connected to the respective portions where the main body 10B and the base 10A are connected also elastically deform toward the center in the width direction E. Then, the main body 10B is inserted into the through-hole 11A, and the entire base 10A is disposed within the second recess 11C (see FIG. 6). At this time, the base 10A is positioned on the outer surface side of the stick 11. In this state, the second convex portions 10L of the base 10A located on both end sides in the width direction E are spaced further away from the bottom surface of the second recessed portion 11C than the second convex portions 10L located on the central side in the width direction E.

[0029] When the base 10A is placed in the second recess 11C, as shown in FIG. 6, the main body 10B and the two arms 10G connected to the respective portions where the main body 10B and the base 10A are connected elastically return to their original position. At this time, the dimension W2 of the main body 10B becomes larger than the dimension W of the through-hole 11A. Furthermore, the pair of recesses 10N are maintained in a slightly compressed state in the width direction E by the through-hole 11A. As a result, the shoulders 10P defining the main body 10B engage with both edges of the through-hole 11A on the inner surface in the longitudinal direction L of the stick 11, preventing the main body 10B from falling out of the through-hole 11A. Because the main body 10B is supported from the inside by the bridge 10C, it is prevented from unintentional deformation.

[0030] The main body 10B of the clip 10 attached to the through-hole 11A faces and contacts the outside of one of the side walls 16 of the connector 30. In other words, the main body 10B contacts the connector 30 from the outside in the width direction E. In this way, the clip 10 prevents the connector 30 housed in the stick 11 from slipping out.

[0031] Next, an example of removing the clip 10 from the stick 11 will be described. First, an operator grasps the base 10A on one side in the width direction E. Then, the base 10A is pulled outward away from the outer surface of the stick 11. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the main body 10B connected to one side of the base 10A and the arm 10G connected to this main body 10B are pulled out to the outside of the through-hole 11A. At this time, the uneven portion 10H provided on the base 10A prevents the fingers from slipping off the base 10A.

[0032] Furthermore, base 10A is pulled outward away from the outer surface of stick 11. As a result, main body 10B connected to the other side in width direction E and arm 10G connected to main body 10B are also pulled out to the outside of through-hole 11A. In this way, clip 10 is removed from stick 11.

[0033] Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. The clip 10 is attached to a stick 11 that houses a connector 30. The clip 10 includes a base 10A, a main body 10B, and a bridge 10C. The base 10A is located on the outer surface of the stick 11. The main body 10B is connected to the base 10A and has an elastic deformation space 10F formed inside it, allowing it to engage with the edge of a through-hole 11A on the inner surface of the stick 11. The bridge 10C spans the elastic deformation space 10F. With this configuration, the bridge 10C prevents the main body 10B from deforming excessively, and when attached to the through-hole 11A, the bridge 10C prevents excessive deformation and makes it less likely to fall off the through-hole 11A.

[0034] The bridging portion 10C of the clip 10 is symmetrical with respect to a central axis C that passes through the center of the elastic deformation direction of the main body portion 10B. This configuration allows the main body portion 10B to deform in a balanced manner, making it easy to attach the clip to the through-hole 11A.

[0035] The bridging portion 10C of the clip 10 has three arms 10G that divide the inside of the main body 10B into three spaces, one of the arms 10G being arranged along the central axis C. This configuration effectively prevents the main body 10B from deforming in the direction along the central axis C, making it easier to insert the main body 10B into the through-hole 11A.

[0036] The base 10A of the clip 10 is plate-shaped and has an uneven surface 10H, which makes it difficult for the fingers of an operator to slip when gripping the base 10A.

[0037] [Another embodiment of the present disclosure] The present disclosure is not limited to the first embodiment described above and illustrated in the drawings. The present invention includes all modifications within the scope of the claims and meanings equivalent to those of the claims, and is intended to include the following embodiments.

[0038] Unlike the first embodiment, the stick may contain electrical components such as ICs and chip components used for surface mounting.

[0039] The material of the clip does not have to be that disclosed in the first embodiment, and may be any flexible material such as urethane rubber or silicone resin.

[0040] The other end of the arm may be connected to the base, or may be connected across the base and the main body. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 10...Clip 10A…Base 10B...Main body 10C…Erection part 10F: Elastic deformation allowable space 10G...Arm 10H…Uneven part 10J...First convex part 10K...First recess 10L...Second protrusion 10M...Second recess 10N...recess 10P…Shoulder 11...Stick (cylinder) 11A...Through hole 11B...First recess 11C...Second recess 11D...Third recess 11F…Convex section 12. Housing 13...Terminal holding part 14...Hood section 15...Flange 16...Side wall 22...Terminal fitting 23...Terminal connection part 24...Board connection part 30...Connector (electrical part) C…Central axis line E: Width direction (direction in which the base extends) L: Longitudinal direction of the stick W, W1, W2...Dimensions

Claims

[Claim 1] A clip attached to a tube that houses an electrical component, a base portion located on the outer surface side of the cylinder; a U-shaped main body portion connected to the base portion, having an elastically deformable space formed therein, and capable of being engaged with an edge portion of the through hole on the inner surface side of the tube; a bridge portion that is bridged within the elastic deformation allowable space; Equipped with The elastic deformation allowing space is entirely surrounded by the base portion and the main body portion.

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